


In the Cards

by FairyNiamh



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Gen, Resolution, Tarot, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-23 05:39:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/922646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyNiamh/pseuds/FairyNiamh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The lady sat at the table, hands trembling as she caressed the deck she had pulled from her trunk. It had been years since she had looked at a tarot deck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Cards

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: drivvenwrinth Notes: Written for the 5 Tarot cards I ‘drew’ at 1_million_words. Card meanings at the end of the story. I used the one word meanings (from my personal deck) in the story and for the photo.

The lady sat at the table, hands trembling as she caressed the deck she had pulled from her trunk. It had been years since she had looked at a tarot deck. The last time was well before she bore her youngest child. Her husband disapproved of it and she, being a woman in love, stopped reading the cards to put him at ease. He had never threatened her on the matter or anything like that; it was her own fear of him leaving that had kept her from it. Now, however; she didn’t care what he thought. She needed some of the guidance and clarity that her cards once brought her.

Steeling herself, she shuffled the deck and concentrated on herself, on her potential paths and possible decisions. She couldn’t complain about her life, but she could not rejoice in it either. Her life was stale and stagnant.

Taking a deep breath she turned the first card. The Five of Rods, representing struggle, stared back at her. The image of four people locked in battle was a little too close to home for her. She fought with everyone here lately, lashing out blindly at all those near; even those who arrived offering help. She couldn’t differentiate between friend and foe here lately.

Not that it truly mattered. This card just brought clarity to the current situation, her constant struggle. It’s a sad state and something that she was unfortunately accustomed to; accustomed to the constant struggle for everything in her life.

The next card made her smile slightly. The Page of Rods represented loyalty. Yes, it was true she ensured that there were loyal people around her. At least she hoped that she had not cut ties with them. No, of course she hadn’t and even if she tried, they would still be there with a hug and a slap to the head. They would walk beside her down her path and help keep her stable on her unstable legs.

She always felt that the young boy representing the Page seemed to look into her soul with sorrowful eyes. Would her loyal friends have eyes that would haunt her as those did? Would she be able to read or see all the hurt she had caused in their eyes? She would deserve no less if she did.

The next card made her wince slightly. The Seven of Swords represented thievery. Okay, well she understood that; kind of. Well no, not really; was someone coming to steal from her? She was curious as to whether they had already stolen something from her? Was this about her children stealing her sanity?

No, that was ridiculous, but it begged for an answer. Her gut was telling her that the thievery had yet to happen, but it would involve one of her children. The man in the card carried four swords; leaving behind three swords embedded in the ground. In her mind it meant someone close to her would die and perhaps her eldest child would meet someone and move away; leaving her with her husband and her youngest child

The three of them should be enough, should be. What should have put her heart at ease, but it filled her with dread. How fucked up was it that she was starting to feel the pull of empty nest syndrome before even her eldest child had fully left the nest?

Again she flipped the cards and revealed the Eight of Cauldrons for accomplishments. If you were to just go by appearance, she would say that the card was represented anger and departure. She wasn’t going by looks, not this time. Maybe when she felt comfortable with them again.

She wondered if she had accomplished anything lately. In all honesty she didn’t think so, but you are always blind to your own worth. At least that is what her friends and family kept saying. Maybe she needed to accomplish something, nothing huge. Maybe something just big enough to allow her to feel important again, important in her own heart, not in the heart of others. Their thoughts counted, but not as much as her own. She tried to remember that.

With a sigh she turned and placed the last card. The Page of Cauldrons represented good news. Finally she allowed herself to smile. She knew she had been worrying over nothing.

Yes, it looked like the path she had decided to walk would have some bumps. She also knew that any path worth taking would have bumps and potholes, but the arrival at the destination would be that much sweeter for all the difficulties faced.

Maybe she wasn’t really traveling, but she understood in her heart that she was moving forward in her life and in the end it would be worth it. She would hold onto that thought, that small morsel of hope. After all, that small morsel was more than some people possessed and she was thankful for it.

~Fin~

**Author's Note:**

> Five of Wands - Calamity that may be invigorating but can become costly. What seems easy at first turns complicated when ambitions collide. - Struggle  
> Knave of Wands - Plenty of possibilities, so many that it's difficult to choose. Do something, and you will prosper. But wait no longer. - loyalty  
> Seven of Swords - Betrayal right before the decisive battle. It may not lead to defeat, but victory is suddenly more distant. - theft  
> Eight of Chalices - Turning away in disgust from having discovered that what seemed so sweet had a bitter aftertaste. But it brings maturity. - accomplishments  
> Knave of Chalices - The irony of it all. Funny or sad, when looked at with open eyes anything is amusing. Expect to be surprised. - Good News


End file.
